Heating, humidifying, and ventilating apparatus



NOV. 12, 1929. c, MQORE 1,735,085

Original Filed Aug. 15 1924 2 sheets sheet 2 frzferzior a? iigrrzegs Patented Nov. 1.2, 1929 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A. MOORE, OF EDINA, MINNESOTA HEATING, HUMIDIFYING, ,AND VENTILATING APPARATUS Application filed August 15, 1924, Serial No. 732,348. Renewed April 1, 1929.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for heating, humidifying and ventilating chambers, particularly though not exclusively, for the storage of perishable commodities. I

Devices of the instantclass, wherein electricity is employed as the heating medium, have come into demand. The necessity of conservation in the use of electricity for such 1O purposes, due to the cost thereof, renders it desirable that the apparatus employed be highly eliicient.

An object of my invention is to supply an improved apparatus of the present kind de- 15 signed to provide for the heating, humidiiication and ventilation of a chamber, sa1d apparatus being simple, durable, relativelyinexpensive in construction and capable of ready installation, the structural arrangement of parts making for economy in the use ofthe heating medium employed.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View, which will appear in the following description, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

in the drawings, Fig. 1 is a Vertical, central, sectional view of an apparatus embodying my invention, the same being shown as installed within a structure forming a chamber for the storage of perishable goods and 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the apparatus includes three concentric conduits. The inner conduit consists of an upright pipe opening atits lower end near the floor 11 ot' the chamber A, the upper portion of said pipe being projected through the 4o ceiling 12 of the chamber into the outer atmosphere. The intermediate conduit comprises a pipe 13 encircling the pipe 10 throughout the greater part of its length, the upper end of said pipe 13 opening into the chamber A near. the ceiling thereof. The lowerenclof the pipe 13 has branches 13, 13 leading horizontally therefrom, the branch 13 being projected into the outer air through the wall 14. of the chamber A near the floor 59. 11, the other branch 13 opening into the chamber A at the lower portion thereof. The outer conduit is an upright drum-likestructure encircling the inner and intermediate conduits andcommunicating at its upper end with the chamber A near the ceiling l2 and at its lower end with said chamber at the floor thereof. Said outer conduit comprises a tubular tank 0 and a cylindrical base 15 ofsheet metal. Said base 15 rests on a ring-like footing lo placed over a drain 17 in the floor -11 of the chamber A and has a number of apertures 15" formed in the lower margin thereof. The tank 0, consistingof an inner wall 18,

outer wall 19 and bottom 20, is supplied with water through a valved feed pipe 21,, an overflow pipe 22, emptying into the drain 17, be ing provided to limit the high water level within said tank.

Water Within the tank 0 is vaporized to humidify the air in the chamber and the air within each of the three conduits is heated by means of a heating device disposed between the outer and intermediate conduits. The heating device illustrated comprises a number of spaced electric heating elements 23 of conventional form, the same being secured at their ends to upper and lower spacer rings 24, the former being fitted with hooks 25 caught over the upper edge of, the inner wall 18 of the tank 0.

Disposed between the intermediate and outer conduits, the elements 23 heat the three ducts and the air therein contained. To :best obtain vaporization of the water in the tank 0 under operation of heater elements of minimum capacity, I closely encircle the inner wall 18 of the tank v0 with a sleeve 26, to the lower margin of which are applied spacer feet 27 for holding said sleeve with the lower edge thereof short of the bottom of the tank a. The sleeve 26 is of a height bringing the upper edge thereof short of the high water level in the tank. Said sleeve 26 confines a limited quantity of water in the restricted space between it and the wall 18, the temperature ofsaid water in said space being readily raised to the vaporizing point. The larger volume of water, outside of the sleeve 26, be-

ing .able to circulate under the sleeve and over the same, is tempered by such circulamo tion and thereby economically prepared for vaporization.

The branch l3 of the intermediate conduit 13 furnishes ingres for air from without the chamber A to the interior thereof: and is litted with a damper 28. The inner conduit provides for the egress ot' vitiated air from the chamber, said conduit or pipe 10 being fitted with a damper 29. With the dampers 28, 29 open, the movement or air through the apparatus is as follows: Fresh air onters the branch 13 from without the chamber A and rises through the hot intermediate conduit 13 into the upper portion or the chamber. Settling along the relatively cold walls to the floor or the chamber, the air enters the apertures 15 in the base 15, a part thereof rising through the hot outer conduit and again passing into the upper portion of the chamber, and the remainder passing upward and out of the chamber through the warm inner conduit 10. The proximity of the lower end of the conduit 1.0 to the floor of the chamber provides for the egress from the chamber of the coldest vitiated air, the purer, warmer air entering the base 15 being started, through the outer conduit, on another cycle 01' the chamber, as indicated above. The movement of air traced in the foregoing description is brought about, as will be readily understood, due to the heating of the three conduits by the heating elements 23. In this connection, it will be noted, that the incoming air is tempered in the intermediate conduit or pipe 13, before it comes into direct contact with the heating elements 23. This arrangement permits of maintaining the temperature of the heating elements at a high degree, whereby vaporization of the water in the tank 0 can be effected with heating elements of minimum capacity. It will be further noted that no waste of heat is occasioned in raising the temperature of the air within the inner conduit or pipe 10 to cause the egress of air from the chamber A through said pipe. Only enough heat reaches the interior of said pipe 10 to cause the desired exhaustion of air from the chamber, the balance of the heat from the elements 23 being used to the best advantage in the manner hereinbefore described.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of a draft conduit providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the upper portion of the structure and the lower portion of the chamber, a second draft conduit enclosing said first conduit and providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the lower portion of the struccure and the upper portion of the chamber, a third conduit embodying a tubular tank having inner and outer walls, said third conduit enclosing said second conduit and providing communication between the upper and lower portions of said chamber, a baflzle well within said tank disposed in near proximity to the inner wall of the tank, the lower edge or said baliie wall falling short of the bottom 01 the tank and the upper edge oi said wall ialling short of the top oil the tank, and a heating element arranged in the space between the inside of said inner wall of said and the outside oi said second conduit.

2. The combination with a structure :torming a chamber, oi three concentrically arranged'draft conduits, the inner conduit providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the upper portion or the structure and the lower portion of the chamber, the intermediate conduit providing communication between the outer. atmosphere at the lower portion of the structure and the upper portion oi the chamber, the outer conduit providing communication between the upper and lower portions of said chamber, a container for water and a heating element associated wit-h said outer conduit and container, said element serving primarily, to vaporize water in said container and to heat air in said outer conduit and, secondarily, to heat the air in said intermediate and inner conduits.

3; The combination with a structure forming a chamber, or a draft conduit providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the upper portion of the structure and the lower portion oi the chamber, a second draft conduit enclosing said first conduit and providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the lower portion of the structure and the upper portion of the chamber, a third conduit enclosing said second conduit and providing communication between the upper and lower portions of said chamber, a tank embodied in said third conduit and a heating element associated with said tank, said element being adapted to heat and vaporize water in said tank and to heat air in all of said conduits.

a. l-Che combination with a structure forming a chamber, or a draft conduit providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the upper portion of the structure and the lower portion of the chamber, a second draft conduit enclosing said first coduit and providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the lower portion of the structure and the upper portion of the chamber, a third conduit enclosing said second conduit and providing communication between the upper and lower portions of said chamber, and a heating element arranged in the space between the inside of said third conduit and the outside of said second conduit.

The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of three draft conduits, the first providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the upper portion of the structure and the lower portion of the chamber, the second draft conduit providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the lower portion of the structure and the upper portion of the chamber, the third conduit providing communication between the upper and lower portion of said chamber, and a heating element for heating the air in all of said conduits, said element being arranged to impart less heat to the air in the first conduit than to the air in either of the other conduits.

6. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of three draft conduits, the first providing communication between the outer atmosphere at the upper portion of the structure and the lower portion of the cham her, the second draft conduit providing communication between the. outer atmosphere at the lower portion of the structure and the upper portion of the chamber, the third conduit providing communication between the upper and lower portion of said chamber, a water container, and an element for heating water in said container and air within said conduits, said element being arranged to impart heat to the water in said tanlrand to the air in said third conduit in greatest proportion and to the air in said second and third conduits in lesser proportion.

7. The combination with a structure forming a chamber of three draft conduits within said chamber, one conduit for the ingress of air to the chamber, another conduit for the egress of air from the chamber, a. third conduit providing communication between one portion of the chamber at one elevation, and another portion thereof at another elevation, and means for affecting the temperature of the air in all of said conduits, the air in the egress conduit in least degree.

8. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, oi three upright draft conduits, one communicating at its upper end with the outer air and at its lower end with the lower portion of the chamber, another conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end with the outer air, and the third a conduit opening at its upper end into the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end into the lower portion of said chamber, and means for affecting the temperature of the air in all of said conduits to set up a natural How of air therein.

9. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of three upright draft conduits, one conduit opening at its upper end into the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end into the lower portion thereof, a second conduit communicating at its lower end with the lower portion of the chamher and at its upper end with the outer air at a higher elevation, and a third conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end with the outer air at a lower elevation, said conduits being concentrically arranged, the first conduit serving to set up an internal circulation of air within the chamber, by gravity, and the second and third conduits providing for the ingress and egress of air into and out of the chamber, by gravity.

10. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of three upright draft conduits, one conduit opening at its upper end into the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end into the lower portion thereof, a second conduit communicating at its lower end with the lower portion of the chamber and at its upper end with the outer air at a higher elevation, and a third conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end with the outer air at a lower elevation, said conduits being arranged in near proximity to each other, the first conduit serving to set up an internal circulation of air within the chamber, by gravity, and the second and third conduits providing for the ingress and egress of air into and out of the chamber, by gravity.

11. The combination with a structure forming a chamber, of three upright draft conduits, one conduit opening at its upper end into the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end into the lower portion thereof, a second conduit communicating at its lower end with the lower portion of the chamber and at its upper end with the outer air at a higher elevation, and a third conduit communicating at its upper end with the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end with the outer air at a lower elevation, the first conduit being arranged in near proximity to one of the other conduits, the first conduit serving to set up an internal circulation of air within the chamber, by gravity, and the second and third conduits providing for the ingress and egress of air into and out of the chamber, by gravity.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' CHARLES A. MOORE. 

